Break the Funk Out

It’s been a month since my trip to Zimbabwe. I’m still processing the whole thing. I can tell you everything I saw but I have a hard time describing what it all means.

The past few weeks we’ve hit a little hole in our personal finances.

When you own a business there are cycles during each year when all of the cash goes out and there isn’t very much coming in. (There are opposite cycles, too. When that happens you are like… “Where did all this money come from?“)

In reality, it wasn’t a big deal as we have short term savings to cover these times but we didn’t even touch it. We’re even fortunate enough to have other options, like long-term savings, or tapping into some investments, and we have a line of credit if we really need it. It wasn’t one of those kinds of things, it was really minor, a normal business cycle compounded by the holidays.

Like most things I’m afraid of it’s not based in rational things. My fears and anxiety embed themselves in the 7 inches between my ears.

But this money thing left me in a bit of a funk, regardless. I’ve been thinking way too much about money. And when I think too much about money I am tempted to take on work I don’t need or even want to do. And when I take on work I don’t need I start working 14, 16, 18 hours per day. I’ve been in this cycle-of-stupidity enough to know how to recognize it coming. So this time I resisted that temptation… but I was still left with the funk.

It’s in that state that I saw this video. Funky. Thinking too much about money. Worrying about something that isn’t even a real problem. Angry at myself for worrying about something that wasn’t a real problem. And thankful I didn’t do something stupid, like I’ve done so many times before.

I’m thankful for the reminders that this pile of b-roll brought me.

… you can always smile.

… you can always ask lots of questions, especially dumb ones.

… there’s always time for bubbles.

… you can always dance.

… it’s always time to high five strangers.

… you can always sing when you see a friend coming.

Even when you are in a funk you can be rich in experience.

And sometimes you need a little reminder like this video to break the funk out.